Today ZTE has just announced the ZMAX Pro aimed at the low-end market consumer. At a press event, ZTE’s Vice President, Jeff Yee, took to the stage after a press address delivered by their VP of strategic marketing, Andrew Elliott. Yee didn’t waste any time, and immediately announced the newest in the ZTE ZMAX family. Aimed at bringing mid-range features to the ultra-budget market, the newest phablet from ZTE will hit MetroPCS at a price point of only $99, while offering up a feature set that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a flagship smartphone only a couple of years ago. The new ZMAX Pro follows up on the Snapdragon 400-toting original ZMAX and its similar sequel, signaling a huge jump in quality and Android experience for the line.
The ZMAX Pro brings the screen size up to 6 inches, with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. While not great for VR, it should prove more than adequate for the average user and even gamers and movie buffs. The pixels are pushed by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor, coupled with the Adreno 405 GPU and backed by 2GB of RAM. The same processing package found in the likes of the HTC One A9, users will find a pleasant experience where most things happen with very little lag, if any, and all but the most intensive tasks are smooth and easy. This is a far cry from the phone’s predecessors, whose Snapdragon 400 processor could leave even basic web browsing jittery at best. Along with the big screen and processor bump, the cameras get a nice upgrade; the rear shooter is a 13-megapixel affair, while a 5-megapixel camera takes over selfie duty. On top of all of these bump-ups, users will also find the biggest battery yet in the ZMAX series, known for its long battery life; the ZTE ZMAX Pro sports a 3,400mAh battery that should keep the lights on for a good few hours of heavy use, given the power-sipping processor.
The ZTE ZMAX Pro is available for pre-order on MetroPCS right now, with a release date at some point in August. Presumably, at that point, it will become available unlocked and through other outlets or carriers, though the $99 price tag is with an instant rebate from Metro, meaning it may be a bit more expensive when bought through other means. The price should still fall short of the $200 mark, beating out the Moto G4 for the budget crown and giving the budget scene its first premium mid-range phablet.
